Posts tagged “jewellery”

Currently, I’m just about drooling on my keyboard over Smith/Grey fine jewellery.

It’s true, I’ve fallen head over heels for yet another London-based high end jewellery brand. But this one is truly impossible to resist.

The Danish/Austrian duo behind Smith/Grey creates impeccably edited collections driven by highly narrative concepts. Every piece is created through a process of painstaking craftsmanship, and the folks behind the brand, Birgit Marie Schmidt and Sofus Graae, possess an enviable array of expertise that fills their designs with wit, edge, and sophistication.

The real jaw dropper for me was their “I can’t seem to get rid of the horses” collection. Horses bend and meld into one another in surreal beauty. An otherworldly element is bestowed on the Smith/Grey collections through their psychologically-based inspirations. Brigit’s concepts are often based largely in the human imagination, dreams, and storytelling.

As hauntingly beautiful as the collection, here’s what the Smith/Grey online lookbook has to offer in terms of shedding some light on Brigit’s inspiration for “Horses”:

“And when she turned around she saw that the horses kept walking back towards her. Tall horses and small horses, fair ones and dark ones. They still returned every morning and every night, quietly whispering poems in her ear in a language she didn’t understand. But my dear, these words were ravishing. And she kept thinking, “Do they hold on to me or do I hold on to them?”

Uncomplicated by flashy gems or precious stones, Smith/Grey rely on sculptural elements to keep the eye entertained, catching the light at unexpected junctures and providing balance through satisfying symmetry. Did I mention that Brigit has a master’s degree in goldsmithing from the Royal College of Art in London? Yeah, she knows her stuff.

The duo doesn’t only design jewelry for ladies, either. They have a breakout line of baubles just for gents entitled Ivy Noir. The concept for the line is a darker take on classic Ivy League essentials. From signet rings to collar stiffeners, Ivy Noir accessories are staples for a style savvy boy’s club regular who “doesn’t always dress by the book.”

Prices run high for a piece of Smith/Grey bespoke, and rightfully so, considering the intense creative process involved in bringing each collection to fruition. So, in lieu of actually owning one of these beauts, I’ve created a style board showing how I would style my hypothetical Smith/Grey “Horses” hoops and “Peculiar Things” ring on a crisp fall day.

Today I’m revealing to the world something that, up until now, I’ve only hinted at here and there. Think what you may, but aside from being a serious student, a lover of all things literary, fashion, film, and craft, I am also deeply pleased by the subject of this post: kitties and pretties!

It’s exactly what it sounds like, an absolutely indulgent, hilarious, wonderful subject that is simply a way to have some visual fun with this blog and throw a hefty dose of cuteness into the world amidst a whole lot of really bummer subjects. Enjoy!

Above, a box full of vintage earrings, all recently found and upcycled from clip-ons. Also seen are some vintage bracelets. A new favorite of mine has one of the ten commandments punched onto each charm; I can’t get enough of the kitschy Sunday school vibes. It’s also proof that I never hesitate to add an element of humour to my outfits — I told you I’m a jewellery addict! And now for this week’s kitty…

Above is one of my favorite little kitties, Nola, a resident of P’s new house. She was adopted for free from an ad on Craigslist but everyone thinks she’s a Bengal. I love her to death because she’s so smart! She’ll play fetch for hours. See below for more pretties pictures.

Above, a vintage strawberry pin.

Well there you have it! Next up: the full scoop on my most excellent birthday weekend.

Gosh, I have such a huge crush on British jewellery brand Tatty Devine. Their AW12 collection is chalk full of their trademark perspex riddled with whimsy, this time featuring super cool moths and playful leopards. Check it!

Not only does this designing duo crank out cult favorites season after season (see their much-loved dinosaur necklace), they have an incredible way of reaching out to their customers, both via social media and in person. They even feature a customer of the month on their blog! And their customers are a very, very devoted bunch.

I am just dying right now for not being back in London yet; I would do just about anything to get to their amazing events coming up in October. I’m telling you, they are AWESOME, right?

Another really pro-customer and pushing-the-envelope type thing they do are design your own name necklaces. For this, you can go straight to one of their two stores, in Covent Garden or on Brick Lane, OR you can design your very own name necklace (really whatever word you want, although I haven’t tried any dirty ones) online! WHAAAT!

There are over a dozen colors to choose from, little trinkets to add on, and several kinds of fonts making thousands of possible combinations! I might be a little too excited about this, but I am a huge jewellery addict and these gals are doing some great things in the realm of accessories. Above: infinite adorableness in the Tatty Devine Covent Garden window displays, by artist Amy Harris.

I’m also a big fan of their moderate to medium-expensive price range. As your typical shoestring budget student, I mostly ‘invest’ in thrift store jewellery but I would splurge (a little!) for anything Tatty Devine in a heartbeat. I haven’t actually gotten my hands on a piece yet but I think a birthday present to myself may be in order. On my wishlist are…

…these Leopard Stud Earrings in caramel…

…and this supremely fabulous Frida Kahlo necklace!

What do you think of Tatty Devine? Got a crush too? Lemme know in the comments!